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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26124355">Space</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrueIllusion/pseuds/TrueIllusion'>TrueIllusion</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Slices of Life in Schitt's Creek [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Schitt's Creek</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst and Feels, Anxious David Rose, Canon Compliant, Gap Filler, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Making Up, Patrick Brewer loves David Rose, Post-Episode: s06e02 The Incident</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:35:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,000</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26124355</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrueIllusion/pseuds/TrueIllusion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Patrick walked to the store alone, which felt strange. He was supposed to be opening it with David after a quick Sunday brunch at the cafe, but he couldn’t blame David for needing to be alone. Not after finding out rather unceremoniously that the news of his “nighttime oopsy-daisy” had been broadcast over the internet to all of Moira’s “frans.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Patrick Brewer/David Rose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Slices of Life in Schitt's Creek [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852009</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>135</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Space</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thank you to PrettyTheWorld and blackandwhiteandrose for reading this over for me and helping me trim words to meet the word count! And to my other RA friends for helping me brainstorm an element toward the end. &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Patrick walked to the store alone, which felt strange. He was supposed to be opening it with David after a quick Sunday brunch at the cafe, but he couldn’t blame David for needing to be alone. Not after finding out rather unceremoniously that the news of his “nighttime oopsy-daisy” had been broadcast over the internet to all of Moira’s “frans.”</p><p><i>Oh, David, I heard what happened</i>, Twyla had said, as casually as if she was talking to him about the weather. <i>That’s got to be so hard for you, especially knowing that it’s all out there now, on the internet.</i></p><p>Patrick hadn’t heard anything Twyla said after that because the ringing in his ears had been too loud as he watched David’s face move from confusion to horror while Twyla went on about something that, as far as David had known, had been just between him, Patrick, and, well, his mother.</p><p><i>Please tell me you didn’t know</i>, David had whispered after Twyla walked away, her ponytail bouncing against her back as if she didn’t have a care in the world. In that moment, Patrick had wished he hadn’t known. But he had, and he wasn’t going to lie to his fiance again.</p><p>His first lie had been one of omission -- distracting David by taking his phone. And even though he’d gone along with Alexis’ plan because he didn’t want David to feel anxious or ashamed of something he had no control over, he wished now that he’d just come clean with David so they could have dealt with it together, without the added complication of David knowing Patrick had kept something from him -- especially something this big.</p><p>Patrick sighed as he unlocked the door, wondering where David had gone and what he was doing, and wishing there was something he could do to help. But he knew he needed to give David what he’d asked for this time; he wasn’t going to make the same mistake he had when David found out about Rachel. This time, he’d let David have space, and in the meantime, he’d try not to worry.</p><p>That, of course, was easier said than done, even on a busy Sunday. As he locked up at the end of the day and got in the car to head home, Patrick hoped for some sort of contact from David, but there was nothing.</p><p>Letting out a breath, Patrick fought the impulse to go to the motel. <i>David asked for space</i>, he reminded himself. <i>Let him have it.</i></p><p>He trudged up the stairs, wishing he would have stopped for dinner because he definitely didn’t feel like cooking after spending the entire day worrying about his fiance. Or maybe what he needed was a hot shower and bed, and the hope that things would be better in the morning -- that David would at least let him <i>try</i> to apologize.</p><p>When Patrick pushed open the door to his apartment, the last thing he expected to see was David’s dark hair over the top of his loveseat. Patrick shook his head and blinked to be sure it wasn’t a mirage, but it wasn’t -- David was sitting there, in his apartment, feet pulled up onto the couch and knees tucked under his chin, staring out the window. A half-consumed mug of tea sat on the coffee table, next to David’s journal.</p><p>“Hi,” David said softly, without turning around.</p><p>“Hi,” Patrick returned, cautiously walking over to the couch and sitting down, as if a sudden move might scare David away. “What are you doing here? I mean, I’m glad you are, I just… fuck...”</p><p>“Going to the motel would have meant seeing Mom and Alexis.” David cut Patrick off, putting him out of his misery as he searched for the right words. “I decided that was worse, so I came here. I can leave, though, if you want--”</p><p>“No.” Patrick’s response was swift and insistent. “You’re welcome here anytime; you know that. I’m glad you’re here.” He paused and took a deep breath, rubbing his sweaty palms across his jeans. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I wanted to protect you, I guess. I’m not sure why I thought I’d be able to keep it from you. I mean, that’s the internet -- once it’s there, it’s there. For good.”</p><p>“Yeah.” David’s voice was quiet as he stared straight ahead. “You’d think I’d be used to having my dirty laundry aired in public for all to see, but this time…” He paused, inhaling a shuddering breath. “I’m a grown man, and I wet my <i>fiance’s</i> bed.”</p><p>“You couldn’t help it, David. I meant it when I said it’s not a big deal.”</p><p>“What if it happens again, though?”</p><p>“Then we’ll deal with it together.”</p><p>David was quiet for a moment, still avoiding Patrick’s gaze. When he finally spoke, his voice was barely a whisper. “And how many times before you leave? Before you decide I’m not worth it?”</p><p>Patrick closed his eyes, the weight of David’s words momentarily knocking the breath out of him, before he reached up and cupped David’s chin, gently turning it toward him.</p><p>“You’ll <i>always</i> be worth it, David Rose. Always. No matter what happens, I’m not going anywhere.”</p><p>“Are you sure?” David breathed, his lower lip wobbling as tears threatened to fall.</p><p>“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” Patrick closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to David’s, smiling as he pulled away. “You know, I don’t think I ever told you about the time Dad took me to meet some of the Blue Jays, and I threw up on the autograph table, right in front of them.”</p><p>David huffed a laugh, swiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. “Mmm… don’t think so.”</p><p>Patrick wrapped an arm around David’s shoulders and settled in to tell the story, grateful for the opportunity to navigate this moment with David -- the man he already knew he’d do anything for, for the rest of their lives.</p>
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